The National Police are under the Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization and report to the General Directorate of National Police.

[3] Niger's gendarmerie, the Gendarmerie Nationale, is a separate agency under the Niger Armed Forces, and are responsible for policing in rural areas.

[4] The directorates are: Foreign governments have accused the National Police of being poorly trained, equipped, and corrupt.

The United States Department of State has alleged that Nigerien police officers commonly ask victims of crimes to pay them for assistance when called, that police may not actually respond to calls for service, and that police take a very long time to respond.

The National Police's vehicles have also been criticized for lacking basic necessities such as fuel.